Can spout with punch and holddown latch



June 30, 1953 J. H. MCILROY ETAL 2,643,793

CAN SPOUT WITH PUNCH AND HOLDDOWN LATCH Filed April 15, 1952 Fig.

Joe H. Mal/ray William N. Lampe INVENTORS BY I ma,

Patented June 30, 1953 can S-POUT wrrn PUNCH AND nommwn LATCH Y JoeMcllroy' and William N .Lampe,

. Amarillo, Tex. t Application April 15, 1952, Serial No. 282,294

- t 4 Claims. (01. 2 22;.- 90) The present invention relates to readilyapplicable and removable pouring spouts, generally speaking, and hasmore particular reference to a simple, practical and economicalattachment type'spout which is applicable-to commodity cans tofacilitate emptyingthe: contentsof the can either all at once oratspaced timely periods.

-' Spouts in the category underconsideration are, of course, not broadlyew; It follows that the prior art teaches the. use of many and variedstyles and forms of can-type spouts which are useful indispensingeither-liquids or dry granular and powdered material for handy use andwhich may be left in place on the container and stored away in the icebox or elsewhere.- 7

The present invention'relates to a construction which, it is believed,is possessed of worthwhile refinements and improvements which when takenstrictly into account go to make up a distinct kind of spout whichconstitutes anovel contribution to the art.

In carrying out the invention'a spout is provided which is susceptibleof being used again and again especially because of its durable characteristics and the fact that the structural details are such that thespout can be easily washed and kept clean and sanitary at all times.

Novelty is also predicated upon a spout construction wherein theattachable end is sealed against the top of a can and wherein theopposite discharge end is provided with *a removable cap wherebythespout keeps the contents of the can from spilling, leaking and alsoprevents outside odors from getting into the can and ruining the tasteof the contents as is sometimes noticeable with other types of spouts.

A further object, is to provide a spout construction'which is so madethat it not only dispenses the liquid from tin and similar containersbut also handily dispenses coffee, salt, sugar and other granularproducts, it being unnecessary with the use of thisspout totransfer thecontents of a canto another container immediately upon b n en d- A stillfurther object of the invention is to provide a pouring spout in whichmanufacturers, retailers and users will find their respectiverequirements and needs amply and efiectually met.

Briefly, the preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized by atubular open ended pouring spout one open end of the latter having acircular pliant gasket attached thereto and designed to bear against anend of the can to effect a seal between the latter and said spout,- saidspout having a can penetrating and opening punch projecting beyond saidone end and adapted't'o be forcibly pressed through the coop;-eratingend of the can, a bead attaching and spout fulcruming hookfixedly carried by saidspout and situated in operative relation-tosaidpunch, and manually engageable and releasable hold-down latches alsocarried by said one end of the spout and engageable with marginal edgeportions of the can opening formed by'said punch. V Other objects,features and advantages will become more readily apparent from thefollowing description and the afcompanying sheet of illustr'ativedrawings. I

In the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein like numerals are employedto designate like parts throughout the views: i

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a commodity canshowing theimproved spout and the mannerin which the same is adapted to be appliedfor use; i

Figure 2 is a view with the portions shown in section andelevation, withthe spout in place and ready fo'r use; v

' Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the irregular horizontal line 33of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 4 is 'asimilar section on the line 4-4 looking in the direction of thereversely applied arrows;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional and elevational viewdetailing'one of the latches and its operating rod and button; and, I

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view detailing the lowerfidg or basal construction of the gask'et.

p In the drawings the commoditycan, which is, is denoted by-the letter Aand the conventional, top is denoted at B and the rim or bead are;

The improved attachable and detachable spout is of open ended taperingform and it is denoted by the numeral 6.' It is or suitablenomcorr'osive light weight-in'aterial'andcould, if. desired, be orcommercial plastics. Inasmuch; however, as it is not only a spout butacan'pu'nch combined, it 'is believed-that it would be desirable to makeit of suitable, durable rust-proof metal. The tapering arcuately curvedbody portion is denoted at 8 and the smaller end is provided with areadily applicable and removable closing cap Ill. The larger basal endportion of the spout which is applicable to the can top is provided witha rubber gasket of annular form which is channelshaped in cross sectionand which is applied and held in place in the manner shown in Figure 5.The gasket is denoted by the numeral 12 and in use it bears against thesurface of the can top as disclosed. Formed integral with the attachableend of the spout is a penetrating member which may be called a can punchand this is denoted by the numeral l4 and in many respects is like thepunch used on beer can openers and punches. To this end it is alsoprovided on the exterior with a suitably arranged-flange 'ifi having ahook I 8 which engages the bead of the can and constitutes the desiredhook-on and fulcruming means.

It is desirable to make sure that the spout stays in position once it isapplied and that leakage is prevented. It is therefore within thepurview of the invention to provide latch meansfor. accom-. plishingthis end. There are two latches an'd they are both the same and one-isshown in Fig.-

'ure 5. Each latch comprises a spring" finger20 which is suitably shapedand which has one end welded or otherwise secured in place as at 22 tothe interior of the: spout. This may be the sole fastening means or itmay bedesirable to provide, in addition, agrivet as at 24 for bendingthe spring finger and putting it under tension although either oneofboth of these fastenings 22 or 24, could perhaps sufiice. The springfinger is properly shaped and located so that the hook on the free end26 comes into ,play and engages the edge portion of the struck-outopenings 28 to provide the desired anchoring, result. The

spring finger is provided with a lug or. car 30 to which a push rod 32is pivotally connected as at 34. The push rod isoperable through openingmeans provided therefor as at 36 and the rod extends to the exteriorwhere it is provided with a press button 38 for convenient; access andoperation. v

With further reference to the aforementioned gasket ring l2 attentioncomes to Figure 6 where in it will be seen that, by preferenc the loweror basal edge-of said gasket is preferably molded to include an endlessgroove or channel l3. This is in effect a suction channel and serves toprovide a highly efifective joint between the bas ket and lid or top 13of the can. v

A careful considerationof the, foregoing description in, conjunctionwith the invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the readerto obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged featuresof merit and a novelty suflicient to clarify the construction oftheinvention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials or rearrangement of parts may beresorted to in actual practice provided that no departure is made e fromthe invention asclaimed, V

Having described the 'nvention, claimed as new is: p

1. A readily attachable and detachable can attachment compris ng a-tubular open ended that iS pouring spout, one open, end of I the-lathaving an endless circular pliant gasket encircling and attachedtheretoand designed tobear against an end of the can to effect aseal betweenthe latter and said spout, the surface of said gasket uated in closeoperative relation to said punch,

and manually engageable and releasable holddown latches also carried bysaid one end of the spout and engageable with marginal edge portions ofthe can opening formed by said punch.

*2. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein there are two suchlatches, the latter being circumferentially spaced from each other andmounted almost wholly within the passage of said spout, each latchcomprising a spring finger having one end anchored on said spout and theother end free and terminating in a hook providing a detent.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 and a pushbutton for each latchfinger, said push-buttons being accessibly arranged exteriorly of thespout and diametrically opposite to said punch where theymay besimultaneously depressed with the fingers of the users hand.

4. A readily attachable and detachable can attachment comprising atubular open ended pouring spout, the intake end of ,the latter having acircular pliant gasket attached thereto and having an endless vacuumchannel designed to bear against an end of the can to effect a sealbetween the latter and said intake, said spout having a can penetratingand opening punch projecting beyond said intake end and. adapted tobeforcibly pressed through the cooperating end of the can, a beadattaching and spout fulcruming hook fixedly carried by said spout andsituated in close operative relation relative to said punch, a pair ofvertically disposed spring fingers located wholly within said spout theupper ends of said spring fingers being secured to said spout, at pointssubstantially diametrically op- .posite to said punch, the lower endsbeing free, spaced from and springable toward and from the body portionof the spout and being provided with lateral hooks providing detents,push-rods slidably mounted in said body portion, said pushrods havingtheir inner ends pivotally connected with their respective fingers, theouter ends of said push-rods being located exteriorly of said bodyportion and being provided with con veniently actuable push-buttons.

JOE H. MCILROY. WILLIAM N. LAMPE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 940,128 Childs Nov. 16, 1909 1,085,335 Hennaut Jan. 27, 19142,505,558 Lyon et al. l Apr. 25, 1950 2,609,968 Ream Sept. 9, 1952

